Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-05
CHAPTER Y.
THE WITCH-HUNT.


docs to enter with u.s.
Now, Infadoos," | said, I'VE would
speak with thee"
Let my lords say on.'' ..-.
at seems to us, Infadoos, that Twala, the
king, is a cruel man."
eIt is so, my lords. Alas the land cries
out with his cruelties. Tonight We will see
It is the great wtch-hunt, and many will be
smelled out as wizards and slain. No mans
life is safe. If the king covets a mans cat
tie. or a mans life, or if he fears man that
he should excite a rebellion against him,
then Gagool, whom ye saw, OF some of the
witch-fnding women whom she has taught,
| will smell that man out as wizard, and he
will be killed. Many will die before the
moon grows pale tonight. 1t is ever So.
Perhaps l shall be killed. AS yet [ have
been spared, because | am skilled in war,
and beloved by the soldiers; but know not
how long [ shall live. The land groanS at
the cruelties of Twala. the king; it is wearied
of him and his red ways
''Then why is it, Infadoos, that the people
do not cast him DOWN.
''Nay, my lords, he is the king, and if he
were killed Scragga would reign in his place,
and the heart of Scragga is backer than the
heart of Twala, his father. If Scragga were
king the yoke upon our neck would be heav-
| Ter than the yoke of Twala. If Imotu had
never been slain, or if Ignosi, his son, had
| lived, it had been otherwise; but they are
| both dead''
''How know you that Ignosi is dead?" said
| a voice behind us. We looked round with
| establishment to see who spoke. 1t was UNI
bopa.
what meanest thou, boy?" asked Infa.
docs; ''who told thee to speakr'
Listen Infadoos,'' was the answer, ''and
will tell thee a story. Years ago the King
Imotu was killed in this country, and his
| wife fled with the boy 1gnos. Is it not SOP"
sit is so.''
sit was said that the woman and the boy
| died upon the mountains. Is it not so.
'It is even 500
'Well, it came to pass that the mother and
! the boy IgnOsi did not die. They crossed
| the mountains, and were led by tribe of
| wandering desert men across the sands be-
| yOnd, till at last they came to water and
| grass and trees again.
GLOW knOwest thou that?''
''Listen. They travelled on and OF, many
months journey, till they reached a land
where people called the Anazulu, who
| too are of the Kukuana stock, live by war,
and with them they tarried many years, till
| at length the mother died. Then the son.
| Ignosi, again became wanderer, and went
on into a land of wonders, where white peo-
| pie live, and for many more years learned
| the wisdom of the white people"
| sit is pretty story" said Infadoos, in
credulously.
For many years he lived there working as
| a servant and soldier, but holding in his
| heart all that his mother had told him of his
| own place, and casting about in his mind to
| find how he might get back to see his own
| people and his fathers house before he died.
| For many years he lived and waited and at
last the time came, as it ever comes to him
who can wait for it, and he met some white
men who would seek this unknown land,
and joined himself to them. The white men
started and Journeyed on and on, seeking
| for one who is lost. They crossed the burn
| ing desert, they crossed the snow-clad noun
tainS, and reached the land of the Ku1uanaS,
and there they met thee, O Infadoosr'
Surely thou are mad to talk thus" said
the astoniShed old soldier.
Thou thinkest so; see, will show thee,
oh, my uncle. am lgnosi, rightful king of
the Kuxuanasr'
Then with single motion he slipped off
the 'moocha" or girdle around his middle,
and stood naked before us.
Look" he said; what is this?" and he
pointed to the mark of a great snake tat
footed in blue round his middle, its tail dis
appearing in its open mouth just above
where the thighs are set into the body.
Infadoos looked, his eyes starting nearly
out of his head, and then fell upon his knees.
"Kooal Koons" he calculated; sit Is my
brothers son; it is the king"
did not tell thee so, my uncle? Rise; 1
am not yet the king, but with thy help, and
with the help of these brave white men, who
are my friends, l shall be. But the old wo-
man Gagool was right the land shall run
with blood first, and hers shall run with it,
for she killed my father with her words, and
drove my mother forth. And now, Infa-
docs, choose thou. Wilt thou put thy hands
between my hands aSd be my man? Wilt
thou share the dangers that lie before me,
to overthrow this tyrant and murderer, or
wilt thou not? Choose thou'
The old man put his hand to his head and
thought. Then he rose, and advancing tc
where Umbopa, or rather Ignosi, stood, knelt
before him and took his hand.
"Ignosi, rightful king of the Kukuanas,
put my hand between thy hands, and am thy
AAAA
| handled thee upon my knee, now shall my
| old arm strike for thee and freedom"
1T is well, Infadoos; if l conquer, thou
shalt be the greatest man in the kingdom
| after the king. If fail, thou canst only die,
| and death is not far off from thee. Rise, my
| uncle''
"And We, white men, will We help me?
| What have to offer vel The white stones,
| if conquer and can find Them We shall have
as many as We can carry hence. Will that
| suffice ye?'
/ translated this remark.
| Tell him." answered Sir Henry, 'that
he mistakes an Englshman. Wealth is
| good. and if it comes in our way we will
take it; but a gentleman does not sell him.
self for wealth. But, speaking for myself,
| say this. L have always liked Umbopa, and
| so far as lies in me will stand by him in this
business. 1t will be very pleasant to me tc
| try and square matters with that cruel devil
Twala. What do you say, Good, and you
| Quatermain9"
| WELL" saiG Good, to adopt the language
of hyperbole, in which all these people seem